4 AM Wake Up Call
by Tonks32
Summary: Beckett gets a phone call in the morning. Some one is hurt and needs her. But soon the family of the 12th is faced with a ghost from the past. Squeal to 2 AM Wake up call.
1. 4 AM Wake Up

Okay so I've been kicking this around for a while and well here it is. After I write this story I think I'll publish a series of short stories that bridges the gaps between 2 am to 4 am wake up call. Umm I don't have a beta so I'm looking for one. That means that all mistakes are mine. Speaking of mistakes I've changed Jeremy's last name to Dunn to make something I wrote in the first story to make since. PS I suck at summaries! I umm well think that's it. just Enjoy!

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The annoying sound of her cell phone awoke Beckett from her peacefully slumber. Groaning, she lifted her head to glance at the clock and wanted to swear very loudly. It was just past four in the morning and she had just gotten to sleep not even an hour before because of her son's nightmare. A nightmare that was induced by his father's vast imagination she might add. Upon searching the nightstand by her side she realized that the annoying ringing was coming from the one on the opposite of the bed. Thinking she would get a bit of payback in the process, Beckett clumsily climbed over her husband to snatch her up cell phone on the last ring. "Beckett."

"Kate." Castle groaned his mind still clouded with sleep. He weakly pushed at her so he could turn over and go back to sleep. That plan went out the window when she jolted straight up in bed at full alert. This time when he said her name it was full of fear, "Kate?"

She waved him off so she could concentrate on the voice on the other end of the phone. "Address?" Beckett demanded and knocked several things over in a rush to find something to write on and with. Once it was complete, Beckett was already hoping out of bed. "I'm on my way."

Still somewhat groggy, Castle switched on the light to see his wife already dragging on a pair of jeans that had been carelessly discarded on the floor the night before. "What's wrong?" The look on her face had him out of bed in a heartbeat. "Kate what is it? Is it Alexis?"

"No." Beckett shoved her phone into her pants pocket and looked for a jacket. The air was quite nippy as November started to fade into December. Once she found one she turned back to Castle who was eagerly awaiting an answer, "There was a shootout."

The writer's face pale, "Jeremy." On that note he started getting ready himself.

"No you need to stay here." Beckett held up a hand to keep him from arguing, "Nathan just got to sleep."

"I know but-."

"I don't know what is going on, Rick. I need you to stay here and wait for me to call. Once I figure out what's going on then you're going to go get Alexis." Beckett informed and watched any argument he had just fade away with her reasoning. She knew it killed him not to come with her like in the good old days, but they made an agreement that after Bryon was born that he would stop shadowing her. That it way it lessened the chance of their son losing both their parents. Now that didn't meant that he didn't help out occasionally, but for the most part he was a stay at home dad once again.

"Call me as soon as you know and be careful." He begged his voice laced with his daily worry for her safety.

Beckett took a moment in her mad dash for the door to place a hand on his face. The stubbles from his morning growth was rough against her palm. Getting up in the morning and putting on her shield knowing there was a possibility she wasn't coming back grew harder with each passing day. "You know I will be." Her fingers curled downward until she was stroking his jaw line with the pad of her thumb as she bent to meet him in a kiss. Even after almost five years of marriage a single kiss from the man shot fire straight through her. "Wait for my call."

"I love you."

"I love you too." She pressed a kiss to her brow. This was another ritual that they went through every time they parted because with a job like hers they never knew if there would be another chance to say I love you. As she made a detour to get her gun and shield from the safe, Beckett hoped that Alexis and Jeremy practiced the same philosophy. And she prayed like hell that she wouldn't be the one telling her step-daughter that the man she loved was dead.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The scene was an old warehouse on the outskirts of SoHo. A small area was flooded with flashing blue and red lights with a small little corner near the edge of the building lit with standing flood lights. In the middle of the square of light was a white sheet that Beckett knew covered a body. Panicked, Beckett flashed her badge to the uniform monitoring the yellow tape before ducking under it in search of the person in charge. She found a pain clothed cop, his badge handing around his neck, talking to two people she guess were homeless. Beckett flashed her badge, her eyes trying to soak every inch of the crime scene. "Lieutenant Kate Beckett." Her eyes landed on the ambulance and felt a small twinge of hope that Jeremy was okay. "I was called because an Officer Jeremy Dunn was involved in a shootout."

The cop, maybe pushing fifty, studied the badge his face completely stoic so Beckett couldn't get a read on him. "Roger Hatt IAB." He informed before adding, "Beckett? I thought you married that writer. What is his name? Castle right?"

"I did." And on paper she changed her name, except it made things easier to keep her last name in a professional sense to avoid unwanted attention. But none of that matter, what matter was the fact that he hadn't mention Jeremy causing that little bit of hope to fly right out the window. "Officer Dunn." Beckett insisted. "Where is he?"

Roger turned in the direction of the body missing the seer panic that crossed the season Lieutenant's face. "He's around the corner getting checked out by a paramedic."

"Was he hurt?" At least her voice didn't betray her.

"Got clipped the best I can tell. I'm still trying to figure out what happened. Officer Dunn is in shock so I haven't been able to get a word out of him. His partner tried." Roger informed, "Maybe you can get through to him."

"Thanks." Closing her coat against the winter chill, Beckett started towards the direction Roger gave her. She stopped by the body where the ME was bent down examining. "What happened?"

"Single GSW to the chest." The ME informed never looking up from the body. "The officer involved in the shootout tried to revive him, but death was almost instantaneous."

Moving on, Beckett found the shaken office slummed against the wall of the warehouse oblivious to the world and the paramedic trying to treat him. The young woman was getting now where, "Officer please you're bleeding."

"Jeremy." Beckett knelt down beside the pair.

The officer barley blinked.

The paramedic gave her a helpless look, "He's been like this since I pulled him off the shooter."

"Jeremy look at me." When she didn't get a response Beckett tried a different approach. "Officer Dunn this is Lieutenant Beckett, what the hell happened here?"

The young man snapped to attention even if his green eyes were still unfocused, "We were responding to a call. Some woman called 911 about a woman's screams coming from inside the warehouse. We were in the area because of some recent attacks in the area at night." Jeremy took a shaky breath as he ran a blood stain hand through his ink colored hair. "When my parent and I responded we found a man on top of the victim, he was raping her. My partner reacted without thinking and rushed the attacker. Officer Odon didn't see the man had a gun until it was too late and took one to the vest. The moment he hit the ground the attacker grabbed the woman and took off to the back of the warehouse. After making sure my partner was okay, I gave chase."

"After calling it in?' Beckett asked trying to see if he had followed protocol.

"Yes Ma'am. I reported gunshots and officer down. I also told them that the assailant had taken the victim and I was pursuing on foot." Finally Jeremy relaxed his posture allowing the paramedic access to his wound. He was barley aware of the woman cutting his pants to get to wound on his leg. "I caught up to the assailant and he turn around using the victim as a shield. I engaged him trying to get him to let her go. He let off three shots."

Beckett looked down to see two of them had hit Jeremy. One had grazed his left thigh and the other had hit his arm somewhere as blood dripped off his hand. She would have to ask the paramedic if it was a clean shot or not once she was finished with his leg.

"I told him to drop his weapon." His voice wavered, " 'Drop the weapon' I commanded, but he didn't listen." Blinking away the tears, Jeremy looked at Beckett, "Why didn't he listen?"

The helplessness she heard in his voice caused Beckett's heart to ache and she had to fight the urge to take the injured man into her arms. It was that mother instinct after all. But no matter how much she wanted to she wouldn't. When they were both wearing the badge it was all professional. Jeremy received no special treatment from her or anyone else. "Focus Officer."

"The woman was begging to be let go. He went to go hit her or shoot her, I don't know, but I had an opening and I took it." Jeremy's face grimaced as if his sense finally came back on line. He looked down at the paramedic's gloved hands that were working to stop the bleeding. "I've been shot." The realization made him almost sick.

"Hey." Beckett snapped her fingers to get his attention back. "Keep your eyes on me, okay."

"I'm shot."

"Join the club." She tried to joke, "One grazed your leg and the other hit your arm."

"Twice." His face paled.

"Think you're like you can get up so-." Beckett looked at the paramedic in search of a name.

"Emma." She supplied.

"So Emma doesn't have to haul your ass up by herself?" Beckett asked. "The ground is getting a bit hard."

Jeremy tried to smile, "Just a bit."

Beckett shifted into his line of vision once the medic ran to fetch a stretcher. "You're going to be okay."

"Right." He had to keep himself from looking at the blood leaking from his body. Then his mind began to clear and he thought of his partner and the victim. "Is Adam okay? The woman?"

"I don't know, but I'll find out." Since they were alone, Beckett caught Jeremy in a tight embrace. "God you had me worried."

"Sorry." Jeremy took a moment to soak up her comfort before she pulled away. "Does Alexis know?"

"I wanted to be sure that you were all right before I let her know. The details over the phone weren't a lot to go on. I'm going to call Rick and get him to pick her up."

Emma reappeared with her partner and a stretcher. "All right Officer Dunn let's get you off that hard grown." Together the three of them got the injured officer up and on the stretcher. Now they were able to work on getting Jeremy's shirt off to get to his wounded arm. After inspecting it, Emma pressed gauze to the small hole. "It looks clean. Through and through."

"No surgery." Beckett informed Jeremy. "Good news."

"I'm still shot." Jeremy retorted. It was clear that he had been hanging around Castle a bit too much.

Beckett grinned down at him, "You're going to be fine. It's just a flesh wound." The joke had the man smiling.

Emma missing the joke spoke, "We got room for one if you want to go, Lieutenant."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Beckett took post outside the officer's hospital room and waited for the arrival of her stepdaughter. After talking to his partner and the woman who was attacked, Beckett concluded that Jeremy had done everything by the book. Of course IAB had to launch their investigation and the Jeremy would be put on modified duty until he was clear of any miss doings. The whole situation sucked, Beckett knew that one from experience, but Jeremy would get through it. She just hoped that this little scare wouldn't drive Alexis away. Beckett also knew from experience that moments like this tend to divide people instead of bringing them closer.

"Kate."

Beckett turned to see the red head racing through the hospital hallway with Castle following close holding their three year old son. It was clear that Alexis hadn't put much thought into getting dressed once hearing the news as she was wearing mismatched shoes. "Alexis listen to me." Beckett stopped Alexis from charging into the exam room, something that Alexis wasn't happy about. The Lieutenant gently grasped her by the shoulder, "He is all right."

"He can't be all right if he is in here." Alexis tried to push by her stepmother only to get nowhere. "Kate let me through."

"I will once you calm down." Beckett insisted. "Jeremy was hit twice. One grazed his leg and the other hit his bicep. It was a clean shot so there was no need for surgery."

The news had her paling, "This is supposed to calm be down?"

Beckett stroked a hand over Alexis's fiery hair, "No sweetheart it's to prepare you." Her gaze flickered to Castle and realized that he was better equipped to handle this situation. He had been In Alexis's shoes on more than one occasion. When Castle gave her a nod of encouragement, Beckett continued, "He's really shaken. He took a life tonight."

Alexis fell silent for a long moment trying to even fathom what her boyfriend was currently going through. She could sympathize with the aspect of being hurt, but knowing you ended a life was something she hoped never to experience. "Okay." She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. Freaking out would come later, right now Jeremy needed her and she had to be strong. "Can I see him?"

"Of course." Beckett pressed a quick kiss to the girl's hair and stepped aside.

Castle slipped his arm around his wife's shoulder and the sleepy boy on his shoulder lifted his head, "mamma Germ-y okay?"

"He's going to be fine Nate."

Jeremy was fidgeting in on the hospital bed working the step of his sling to find a comfortable position. It wasn't like he was in pain or anything thanks to some good painkillers the doctor gave him. Just nerves he finally confirmed when he couldn't find one. He was just nervous to see Alexis. Why he wasn't sure.

"Hey there handsome." Alexis prayed that her voice was stronger than it sounded. When he looked at her and smiled at her with that million dollar smile Alexis felt all her resolve just melt away. It took just seer will power not to run across the room and through her arms around him. Instead she carefully sat on the edge of the bed, "How you feeling?"

He fiddled with the strap of his sling, "They got me on something pretty good so there isn't much pain." He confessed with a sheepish smile. An uncomfortable silence filled the room and Jeremy watched the struggle on Alexis's face to stay composed. "C'mere."

On his request, Alexis nuzzled up to the good side of his body and held on for dear life. With him being a cop Alexis knew that this would happen. She had tried to prepare herself only none of that mattered when she got the phone call from her father. She had blacked out or spaced out, Alexis wasn't sure. All she was aware of was that one moment she was standing up and the next after her father informed her of the shootout she was on the floor. "I'm so glad that you're okay."

He wasn't sure if he was okay, but for the moment wrapped in the arms of the woman he loved Jeremy allowed himself to be. Turning his face in her hair, he struggled to block out the sound of gunfire and the smell of blood. There had been so much blood. Oh god he killed someone. Jeremy held onto her for dear life, "I love you." It was the one thing that was keeping him from sliding into the black abyss of despair. He prayed it would be enough.

Castle watched from the window, his heart aching at the desperation he saw on the young boys face. A long bumpy road waited the couple and Castle hoped that it wouldn't drive them apart. "What happened?" He asked his wife.

Beckett glanced down at her dozing son, "Let's lay him down first." He was still small enough that they could push together three chairs and would be enough room. Plus, Beckett didn't know how but Nate could sleep anywhere.

"No." Nate's head bounced off his father's shoulder, "I want to see Germ-y! I want see him okay!"

"All right all right." Kneeling down, Castle set his son on his feet so they were eye to eye. "But you need to listen to me okay. Jeremy is hurt so you need to be careful okay."

"He has oweis?" Nate asked his blue eyes, so much like his father's, filled with worry, "Does he need mommy to go and kiss it?"

Logic of a three year old was an underappreciated wonder of the world in Castle's mind. "No, but the doctors patched him up so he's going to be okay. He's just sore." Castle explained.

"I be carefully." Nate promised and without warning burst into the hospital room causing the young couple to pull away. Like he promised, Nate stopped short of the hospital bed. He bounced all the balls of his feet helplessly because he wanted on the bed only his small height prevented him from that goal. So he just bounced, "Germ-y! Daddy says you have owies but it's okay that the doctors fixed you up."

"That they did." Seeing the relief on the boy's face helped chase the dark thoughts from Jeremy's mind. Sometimes family was the best medicine.

Alexis swooped up her brother before he jumped out of his shoes and placed him on her lap. "You can give him a hug." Alexis had to tighten her grip when Nate almost lurched straight out of her arms. "Be careful of his arm."

As the three year old wrapped his tiny arms around his middle, Jeremy looked around the room at the people who had become his family and felt a pang in his heart that someone was missing. His mother should be here.

Beckett caught his gaze and frowned reading his thoughts. One look to Castle told her he saw it to. Silently she asked if he had made the call to Jeremy's mother and with a nod he confirmed that he did. When her phone rang, Beckett hurried to find in and was a bit disappointed when she saw the number. "Sorry." She apologized pulling it to her ear as she left the room, "Beckett."

"Hey Beckett sorry to wake you-."

"You didn't wake me." Beckett interrupted. "What is it?"

"We've got a body and well I figured you'd want in on this one."

"Why would you think that?"

"It's Elissa Greenstone."

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In six years the house hadn't changed. Beckett stepped out of car just after the sun came up to see the lush green yard covered with emergency personal. The fire rescue was packing up while the uniformed officers worked the yellow tape to keep the nosey neighbors from interfering. Obviously a murder in this zip code was enough to stir the pot. Pushing up the walk, Beckett noticed that the inside was buzzing with just as much activity as outside. The Crime scene unit was combing through the foyer and stairs and she spotted a few more uniforms in the sitting room talking to the maid that had let Beckett in over six years ago.

With all the tracks marks on the shiny tile, Beckett figured she didn't have to worry about her heels scuffing it this time. She started up the grand staircase following the blood that was staining the polished wood. Ryan met her outside the master bedroom and judging by the look on the season detective's face it wasn't pretty. "What have we got?" She asked.

Ryan stepped into the room where Lanie was already hunched over the body of Elissa Greenstone. The scene looked like it was right out of those horrible slashed films that thought the more blood meant the better the movie. Blood splattered from floor to ceiling on every wall and the white carpet where the victim laid was soaked with blood that leaked out from her body. "The maid found her like this just about an hour ago." Ryan carefully stepped around the body.

Beckett squatted down beside the ME frowning at the frozen terror on Elissa's face. Her heart always ached for every victim but sometimes there were a few that had a heavier ache. The once polished woman was sprawled on her back, her eyes lifeless and her face frozen in horror. Beckett hasn't seen the woman in six years since the final day of Grey's trail. The older woman had always sat in the back corner, her face always stoic of emotions when they detailed the horrible crimes of her son. When they rendered him guilty she took off without a word to anyone and faded into the world. A few weeks later a letter without a return address showed up on the door steps of her son's victims. There was no note or offers of excuse just loads of cash. Every single one of them had thrown it away. This woman on the floor was a shadow of the one all those years ago. She finally looked her age and then some.

What a horrible ending to this tragic life, Beckett silently mused as she forced her mind to deal with the matter at hand. "What happened?"

"Well from judging by all the blood-." Lanie gestured to the blood splatters on the pale colored walls. "The cause of death will most likely be exsanguination. So far I've counted a dozen stab wounds to her abdomen, throat, and chest."

"That would do it." Beckett frowned. A few stab wounds were common, but this many was over kill. "That's a lot of rage. Any sign of forced entry?"

Esposito entered to room with the answer, "The alarm was deactivated. The maid said that she set it herself before leaving for the night and since Mrs. Greenstone couldn't drive there would be no reason for her to deactivate it." He flipped through his notepad, "The system also logs in which door is opened at what time. The last time it was opened was around midnight and it was the front door."

"So the killer either knew the code or knew the victim." Beckett looked to the ME, "Can you give a time a death?"

"I'm putting the time of between midnight and two in the morning." It was as good as she could do until she got the back to the morgue. Lanie handed over a bagged eight inch blade that was coated with the victim's blood. "Dusted for prints, but nothing so far."

"You can see where the killer was standing by the interruption of the blood splatter." Ryan pointed out the untouched portion of the wall. "So you know there was a blood transfer."

That would be the reason while there was blood all the way down stairs. Beckett wondered if they would be so lucky to find not all the blood belonged to the victim. "Anything missing?" The room itself as in order, minus the blood of course.

"CSU is going over the place." Ryan informed, "But the office down stairs was trashed. The computer was gone and the safe was open. The killer left quite a few things of value. I mean there's a jewelry box on her night stand with a cool million in it of diamonds."

"We need to find what was in that safe." Beckett gave Elissa one last look before stretching to her full height. "Lanie let me know if you find anything else."

The two male detectives met the Lieutenant at the door with grim expressions. Ryan was the one who raised a single question, "Who is going to tell Grey?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Beckett took that responsibility. Two hours later she was relieving herself of her weapon and signing herself into see Grey for the first time in sex years. A part of her asked her again for the hundredth time why she was here. Informing him could have been just as easily done by a simple phone call. Yet here she was seated in an isolated room waiting for Grey. After what seemed like a lifetime, the door pushed open and Beckett's spine stiffened. Grey shuffled into the room, his hands bound in front of him and hooked to his feet, with that same arrogant smile on his face he wore the first time she questioned him.

"Detective Beckett. No wait-." He plopped down in the chair across the table from her. His hair was longer and a bit grayed. His eyes still shining with a sickening glint as it tracked over her body. "It's Lieutenant now isn't it."

"I didn't come here to catch up, Grey." Truthfully she shouldn't be here in the first place. This was a really bad idea. She glanced at the guard that stood watch at the door and realized that she wouldn't be able to back out now. "I've come on official business."

"Oh sounds important." Grey's lips curved into a smile, "its okay Lieutenant Beckett I know you just wanted to see me after all this time. I've got to say that the years have been good to you."

Years of training kept her from shivering in disgust. Just get it done and get out. "I regret to inform you that your mother was murdered earlier this morning." Nothing. He didn't even blink. Well this had been a waste of time and a half. Was that why she wanted to come and tell him in person? To see if the monster had an ounce of humanity in him? She got her answer by his blank stare.

After several long tense moments, Grey finally spoke, "I'm sorry is this the part where I break down and cry?"

"She was your mother."

"The bitch sold me out to you." Grey leaned forward, the metal of his cuffs clinging against the stop of the table. "Her only son and she gave you everything needed to put me away. So excuse me if I don't shed a few tears for the old bat. But it got you here so I guess that's something." His gaze flickered to her folded hands, "I see you're married now."

Beckett flinched. This was a very bad idea.

"Did that writer make an honest woman out of you? I know he had such a hard on for you."

Beckett curled her fingers, twisting to hide the rings on her finger. To keep herself under control, she stroked her thumb over the cool metal and pushed to her feet. "Enjoy your meaningless life, Mr. Greenstone."

"How about you send a picture to keep me warm at night." A grin broke across his face when her shoulders tensed. "Or better yet how about one of the beautiful stepdaughter of yours. From what I've seen the girl as really grown up nice. Nice full-."

It happened before she could talk sense into herself. Beckett hooked her foot on the chain under the table and yanked. The force had Grey's head bouncing off the metal table so hard she head a satisfying crack of his nose. The guard stood by looking at a crack on the wall as if held all the secrets of the universe. Smiling, Beckett watched Grey bring his hands up to catch the blood. "Now that's two Castle women who've broken your nose." She lowered her head so they were eye level, "Remember that and have fun explaining that to your cell mates."

Greys' laughter stopped the lieutenant inches from the door, "You think you're so high and mighty don't you. You've got a new shiny badge and think that you stand above the rest. You think that shield and this cell will keep me out of your life, but you're wrong Kate."

Beckett did her best to ignore the chill working up her spine, "Let me out." She softly commanded the guard who looked at her with a large amount of pride.

"You think you're safe. That he will keep you safe." He stood and watched her hand go to her hip and twitching when she realized her gun wasn't there. "So go home to your husband and that son of yours. By the way Nathan is such a lovely name. Glad to see he got his father's eyes."

It took every ounce of will power not to march across the room and beat him until he told her how he knew that. Being in prison didn't mean that you were cut off completely from the world and her family was occasionally in the press. But they had been real careful when it came to Nate. His name had been given at the time of his birth and was mentioned in words only when Castle's new book was published or if they were at a public event. Never did they allow any media outlets publish her son's photo. Squaring her shoulder, Beckett nodded her goodbye to the guard and casually fled with one purpose. To make sure her family was all right.


	2. 10 AM Panic Attack

By the time Beckett pulled up to the loft she knew without a doubt that her son was safe and sounds on the floors above. She felt foolish now for calling to the station to tell the boys that she would be taking a little detour to home sighting her lack of sleep. They knew different and assured her that they would cover for her with Gates. Grey's words still haunted her and Beckett wished she was strong enough to let them just roll off and go back to work. She wasn't.

Beckett unlocked the door, entered, and quickly locked it behind her. She even threw the dead bolt. The living room and kitchen was empty causing alarms to off in her head. It was barley ten in the morning both father and son should be wreaking havoc. Then she thought of how tired they would have been thanks to the night mares and early morning visit to the hospital. Knowing her mind wouldn't be at ease until she saw Nate, Beckett started up the stairs.

Finding the bedroom door open, Beckett silently slipped inside to see her three and a half year old son sprawled on his back snoring lightly. One of his arms was thrown over his eyes and his legs were massively tanged in his Mets sheet he had tried to kick off during his slumber. A perfect match to how his father slept. Now Beckett felt foolish for letting that bastard get to her. Nate was safe. The house was locked and the building was hard to get into. Plus he had a cop for a mother and a father who would do anything to keep him safe. There was no way Grey could do to touch them.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Scooping up her son's beloved green dragon that had been carelessly dropped on the floor, she sat in the rocking chair beside her son's bed. God she was so tired. The events of last night and this morning were catching up to her making it hard for Beckett to keep her eyes open. Sleep deprivation! Yeah that's what she was going to chalk this up. If she wasn't so damn tired then she would have been able to put her wall up and never allow Grey to get to her.

Rubbing a towel over his damp hair, Castle padded across the living room in just his jeans. Out of habit, he glanced at the front door to make sure it was locked and paused halfway from sitting on the couch. The dead bolt was latched. He remembered coming home balancing his drowsy son and locking the bottom lock because his daughter and Jeremy were going to stop by once released from the hospital. Looking around the loft for signs of them, he noticed his son's bedroom door was open.

With several worse case scenarios running through his writer brain, Castle took two steps at a time until he was in Nate's open doorway. His shoulder relaxed and his heart softened at the sight of his wife dozing in the chair at their son's bed side holding his beloved dragon. It was such a sight that he couldn't resist fishing out his phone from his pocket to snap a picture. The soft click of the shutter was enough to cause Beckett to stir. Smiling, he leaned against the door frame and watched her shake the sleep from her eyes. "Hey."

She smiled, that million dollar smile that could turn the writer into a puddle, and replied, "Hey yourself."

The smile didn't ease the line of worry etched on her brow. He crossed to room and knelt in front of her. "What's wrong?"

It seemed so stupid to have let Grey stir her up. So Beckett just let it go for now. "Just been a long night." She ran her fingers over the growth on his chin, "You're looking ruggedly handsome there Mr. Castle."

His face lit up, "Why thank you Mrs. Castle. C'mon let's get out of here before the monster awakes. He was a bear to get to bed."

She took the hand he offered, allowed him to pull her to her feet, and rewarded him with a kiss that left her seeing stars. That was something she would never grow tired of. After six years of marriage Beckett was waiting for that spark that hunger for him to die down but it never did. Smiling, Beckett brushed her nose against his before turning to drop a soft kiss on her son's brow. It seemed like every time she blinked it seemed the boy grew leaps and bounds. Her job had made her miss this first time he stood up, his first words, which had been 'dragon' much to Castle's amusement, and a half dozen other moments. Beckett wondered how many other things she would miss. "We are going to need a bigger bed before we know it." Carefully, she untangled the Mets sheet and recovered Nate. He maybe had a half a foot left before his feet would hang over the edge. He was going to be a tall one that's for sure.

Her gloomy mood fluttered away when Castle's arms came around her waist from behind. She leaned against his chest, "Do you want another one?"

"Another bed." Castle perched his chin on her shoulder pleased to see her smiling. Having more children wasn't something they really talked about. Not after the loss of the first baby. They decided then that if they had children they did and if they didn't well there were other options like adoption. After a few false positives and another heart breaking miscarriage, Nathan came along. "I think the world can handle another mini Castle. Or two." Castle nuzzled her neck as they shuffled out of the bedroom. "Maybe three."

"Three?" Beckett looked back. One seemed like that's all they were going to get. When Nate was a year she found herself pregnant but just like the first it had ended in a miscarriage. Since then they really hadn't talked about more children because she didn't want to go through the heart ache again. Twice was just too much. But this was one of those rare times where the horrible past didn't matter. For a few moments they could be just a normal couple discuss the future. "How many kids do you plan to have?"

"A basketball teams worth. Maybe a baseball team." The thought made the writer smile, "We can call it Team Caskett."

Her nose wrinkled at the name, "that's terrible."

"What it fits up so perfectly. The writer and the cop." He twirled her around, "When do you have to be back?"

Her lips curved at the suggestion in his voice, "Well I told the boys I was going to take an hour or so. When is Alexis and Jeremy coming?"

"Not sure maybe an hour."

"Well then." Beckett linked her arms around her husband's neck Grey's words completely forgotten. "Why don't try and give Nate a team mate."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0

He'd gone blind or maybe he was dead. Castle figured it wasn't such a bad way to go. Death by mind blowing sex was something he could live with. Once he could string two thoughts together he came to the conclusion that he would live to see another day. "Not that I'm complaining." He managed to turn on his side. "What caused this impromptu visit?"

"Well I planned on a nap." Beckett blew her hair from her eyes since she couldn't seem to move at the moment. "But I liked this plan better."

That didn't sound right. Beckett was built to run on as little sleep as possible thanks to her many years on the force and being a mother. No something had prompted her to come home and Castle had a hunch what it might have been. "You went to the prison didn't you? To tell him."

Beckett sighed. There was no really hiding anything from him even if she wanted to. "I wanted to see his reaction. I wanted-." She held up a hand and made useless motions when the words didn't come out.

Thankfully she didn't have to see he did know her so well. "You wanted to see if he was remotely human. What did he say?"

"Before or after I broke his nose." Beckett cracked open to see his head popped up wearing an expression mixed with surprise. She shouldn't have done it, should have had the control, but damn It, it had felt good. Plus the bastard deserved it after everything he did.

After fighting it for a few moments a smile broke out across his face, "You broke his nose?"

Beckett just shrugged, "He was running his mouth."

"The guard didn't report you?"

"I think he silently applauded me to perfectly honest."

Placing his hand on her cheek, he forced her to look at him, "Talk to me Kate."

"He said things about Alexis. About Nathan." She felt him stiffen. "He said that we couldn't protect our family from the monsters."

Though his insides were twisting, Castle kept his voice clear and his face stoic. "He's in jail KB. He can do nothing to us. He's out of our lives."

"Why doesn't it feel like it? Alexis still looks over her should as if she expecting Grey to be around the corner." Castle's face softened and she knew he had noticed it to. Of course he had, he was a writer and caught every detail. Letting out a long groan, Beckett tosseled her hair and pushed into a sitting position. "All right I'm dropping it. You're right he's out of our lives. Now I'm going to shower and solve a murder."

"Now that's my girl."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Beckett made it back to the station just before noon. The boys had been hard at work setting up the murder board and were busy on the phone. Waving a hello, she shrugged out of her jacket and took a seat behind her desk to wait.

"So Beckett."

The woman in question tensed at the sound of the captain's voice. Beckett's gaze whirled around the room trying to find an escape of a distraction. Damn it where was Castle when she needed him. Gates reached her desk before Beckett could make a break for it. "Good afternoon, Sir."

"I just got an interesting phone call." Gates crossed her arms over her chest with her glasses twirling in her fingers. The Lieutenant squirmed in her seat tucking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear and Gates had to bite the inside of her cheek to her from smiling. "The warden called wondering how one of his inmates ended up in the infirmary with a broken nose after talking to one of my people."

Beckett flushed. She felt like a kid in the damn principal's office. "Umm about that."

"Mr. Greenstone told the nurse that he tripped and the guard backs it up." Gates leaned against the desk, "But the warden isn't convinced. I told him an officer under my command would be nothing but professional while engaging with an inmate."

She was giving her a way out. Beckett felt the tension ease from her shoulders. It had taken them a while to find common ground. There had been lots of locking horns, disobeying orders, and punishment. But finally the two women trusted each other. Had each other's back even now when she had done something so stupid. Beckett now saw the woman in equal light as she did with Montgomery. "You know how hard it is to walk in full chains."

"Right." Gates glared at her before her gaze softened. "Don't let it happen again."

"Of course sir."

"How is Officer Dunn?"

"Recovering quite nicely at the loft. Painkillers." Beckett said in way of explaining.

"Recovering?" This came from Ryan who was the first to get off the phone. "What happened?"

"Jeremy was involved in a shootout earlier this morning." Beckett felt bad that in all the commotion of the day she didn't inform the boys. They had taken the rookie under their wings and were fiercely protective of him. Together they all had kept an eye out while Jeremy gained his footing with the department. "One clipped him in the bicep it was a clean shot and the other grazed his leg. They said he would be able to return to week in a couple of weeks."

Ryan paled, "How did Alexis take it?"

"As well as expected." It was his mother who could have reacted better. Beckett still didn't know the whole story. Just that they arrived at the loft and Jeremy looked ten times worse than he did at the hospital. From what she gathered from her stepdaughter, Sarah had reacted badly. Heat words were thrown around in the ER and Sarah had even over stepped by calling her son a failure as a cop. Alexis had mentioned his mother had even said his father would be ashamed. "Maybe you, Jenny, and the boys can come over for dinner? I think he needs all the distraction he can get right now."

"Of course."

"Now." Switching gears, Beckett gestured to the murder board, "What have we got so far?"

"Well as we suspected the cause of dead was blood lose. One of the stab wounds had nicked an artery in her thigh. She bled out in minutes." Ryan took a seat in Castle's usual chair once the captain made her way back to her office. "The maid said that the victim basically lived the life of a hermit. She didn't leave the house much maybe a few times a month."

Beckett took the ME's report that he offered and skimmed through it. "She had cancer?"

"Stage four breast cancer. She stopped doing chemo over a month ago and hired an in home caretaker about two weeks ago.."

"We have a name?"

Ryan flipped through his small notepad, "The maid said his name was Parker Andrews and was hired by a temp agency. The contract was given out by Homecare Medical. Apparently he was given a key and the alarm in case the victim couldn't answer the door."

"Did you run his name? Get an address?" By the look on his face he had and Beckett was already on her feet slipping on her jacket.

"All right thanks." Hanging up the phone, Esposito was on his feet. "That was Homecare Medical and Parker Andrews didn't check in today. All temp employees are supposed to check in and send reports on their charges twice a day. He missed his morning call."

"Let's go."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Beckett bounded her closed fist on the door for the third time. "Parker Andrews NYPD open the door." Once again they were greeted with silence. They had no cause to break open the door even though they three officers were itching to get inside.

The super jiggled his keys until he found the right one, "Here." The door swung open and they were met with an eerie silence.

Beckett's weapon was in her hands, "Stay here." She told the super and looked to the two detectives, their weapons out and ready. With a nod, the trio entered the apartment with their guns poised forward and their gazes sweeping the open living room. There was a mount of old take out on the coffee table and beer bottles littered the floor.

There was a musky smell in the air told Beckett that who ever lived her hadn't put much effort in cleaning. But there was something else. A ting of a pungent smell that could only belong to death lingered. "Bedroom." She gestured with her weapon and Esposito was on her six sweeping the room as they went. Outside the door they took position on either side while Ryan stayed just around the corner in case they needed back up. "Okay one. Two."

On three the Hispanic detective kicked the door open going in high while Beckett went in low. After a few moments of taking in the room, Esposito relaxed, "clear."

Beckett had taken the bathroom and came up short when she pulled back the shower current. "In here." Covering her mouth the block the stench, she pulled out her phone. They had found Parker Andrew all right. But judging by decomp on his body he had been dead for some time.

"What is he covered in?" Ryan asked inching closer to the tub. The decomposing body was sitting in what looked like colored grits of sand.

"Kitty litter." Esposito supplied his nose scrunching up in disgust, "Helps mask the smell."

"He's been here awhile."

"Yet some one was living in his apartment and assuming his identity." Beckett hung up her phone. "The question is why and who."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A half an hour later and the apartment was crawling with CSU. Beckett had them collected some of the discarded beer bottles hoping that whoever had been posing as Parker would have left prints. The question going through her mind was why someone who want to take over this man's life. It wasn't a glamorous one. He was basically a glorified baby sister, spending most of his days picking up after elderly people who were just waiting to die. Going through his very plan apartment, she didn't find anything of real value. The most expensive thing Parker owned was a PS3 and a flat screen tv. Both that had seen a lot of use recently.

Ryan walked out from the kitchen flipping through a large stack of mail with gloved hands. "Mail is here is about two weeks old. Talked to the neighbors to and they said they haven't seen much of Parker in that time frame. I mean they heard him come and go but it was usually at odd hours. Whoever was taking over Parker's life did that to remain unseen."

"It's safe to say that Parker wasn't the real target." Beckett picked up a photo of their latest victim. The man was in his mid-forties with a half of head of hair and weighted close to two hundred pounds.

"You think Elissa was?"

"Why not? She was closing in on death, had no relatives, and had quite a bit of money. Espo." Struck with a thought, Beckett turned to the detective in question. "I want to keep a tap on Elissa's bank account and monitor it for any withdrawals."

"Shouldn't we just freeze the account?" He asked as was normal protocol.

"No he might try to use it and if he does we can find him." Right now it was the best. They didn't even know what this imposter Parker looked like or even his real name so they had nothing else to go on. Hopefully the man would slip up. "I want to talk to the maid and see if she can give us a description."

0o0o0o0o0o00o0o

Tired, Beckett settled in the break room with a full cup of coffee and her notepad. Across the table sat the Hispanic maid that had greeted her at the front door almost seven years ago. She didn't look so regel anymore, Beckett mused, so full of herself. "Miss Ferandez."

"Call me Leola." The woman spoke in a soft broken voice.

Beckett watched the woman push around the stirrer in her coffee absently and it hit her that she was grieving. Elissa must have been more than just a simple boss to Leola. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"She was a good woman. No one will remember that." There was so much sadness in her voice. "All she will be remembered for is raising a monster. Does he know?"

"I went to the prison today to inform him."

"He didn't care did he?" Leola saw the answer on the lieutenant's face. "He blamed her. After all the pain he caused he blamed her. "

"How long have you worked for Mrs. Greenstone?" Beckett asked trying to get the line of conversation back on track.

"For twenty years. My mother worked for her and her family before that. She really was a kind lady. That husband of hers was another story."

"He abused her and her son?"

"He hardly touched the boy."

"When I talked to her she had told me that he had made sure that no staff was around. How did you know?" Beckett wondered.

"Elissa confided in my mother then me when she passed. A lot of staff came and went."

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Greenstone' temper would spill over. Could be one of the ground keeps cut the grass wrong, or the cook burnt his meal. Every incident would be paid off my Elissa. The women that he would force himself onto would be set up for life on the other side of the state." Leola report casting her eyes down in shame. She should have been strong enough to call the police. To stop the violence that when on in the house, but Elissa had begged her for confidence. "She was such a proud woman."

"The man you know as Parker Andrews was an imposter." Beckett slid the photo that she took from the apartment across the table. "The real Parker Andrews was killed two weeks ago after the contracted had already been sent. "

"Why would anyone do that?"

"The real target was Mrs. Greenstone. She was elderly, alone, and wealthy all things that make a perfect target for a con. Did anyone know that she was sick?"

Leola took a moment to think, "No. I mean her lawyer knew because she had drafted up a will. She had lost contact with anyone who was a friend after her son was convicted. Her life has been very lonely over the last several years. The only people she saw were those who worked around the house."

"I'm going to need a list of names."

"Of course."

"Leola do you know what was in the safe? The office was the only room in the entire house that was ransacked."

"There was her will and some deeds to property she owned." Leola swirled her cup around, "There was quite a bit of money in there. Elissa suddenly had a fear of banks and didn't trust them with her money. It was because of Parker actually or whoever he. He fed in to her delusions."

Beckett made a note to check recent withdrawals to see if she could get an amount. "Anything else."

"Family jewelry, pictures, and just useless papers."

"What was on the computer?"

"I don't know." Leola frowned, "I'm sorry."

"Do you think if I put you up with sketch artist you might be able to give me a description of the man posing as Parker?"

"I can do better than that." Leola fished out her phone from her purse, scrolled for a few moments, and then handed over a picture of their suspect.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Beckett posted the picture on to the murder board under suspect. He was handsome, maybe in his early thirties with a smile that was dazzling. His red hair was shaggy and his blue eyes gentle. He looked harmless, but she knew from experience it was the harmless ones that you had to worry about. "CSU has a few prints off one of the beer bottles at the apartment. Hopefully something will pop." She looked to the boys, "What about her bank?"

"No withdrawals since her death." Esposito handed her a print out of the statement. "Looks like our victim was making daily withdrawals in the amounts fifty K. "

"That adds up to nearly a million dollars." That was a good looking motive, "Add in the jewelry the maid said was in there adds up to a couple million I say that our murderer made out pretty good. But it doesn't explain taking the computer or the other things in the safe."

"The money is the oldest motive in the book, Becks."

"I know but there was other way to con it out of Elissa. Why go through the trouble of killing a man and taking over his life." There was something here they weren't seeing. Something that was going to bug her until she figured it out.

"Well we got his face out and we are running his prints. We aren't going to figure this out tonight."

"You're right." Beckett filed the statement away and started gathering her thing. "Dinner is in an hour so make sure you stop by the morgue and pick up your wife. I don't want have to hear her bitch how she wasn't invited."

Esposito grinned as he flexed his hand holding the gold band. Even a year after mirage it still was a jolt every now and again to find it there. Tying the knot was something he swore he never was going to do. "Need us to bring anything."

"Just don't mention Sara." Beckett warned with a frown.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o0o0o

The loft was full of chaos. Nate was running like a wild child with the Ryan twins as his partners in crime. Aidan and Patrick were a year older then Nate, but had no problem letting him take point. It meant they got in less trouble whenever they did something they weren't supposed to do. Dodging the horde of children, Beckett laid out a new bowel of chips on the poker before passing out a round of beer to the guys. It was good to see Jeremy smiling even it was strained. "A coke for you mister." She handed the open can to the injured cop. "I hope you aren't going easy on them."

"Nah." To prove his point, Jeremy threw a few chips into the pot and waited for the rest of the men to check their cards to see if they wanted to fold or match his bet. He was pretty sure that they were actually going easy on him, especially Castle who had folded more times than he usually did. It should bother him only he knew that everyone in the room was doing everything they could to keep his mind preoccupied. Jeremy was grateful for it because he knew when it was time to dream it wouldn't be pleasant.

Castle snagged his wife by the waist and pulled her onto his lap, "Want to join?"

"And wipe the floor with all of you." Smiling, she touched her lips to his, "No. Plus I have a pregnant woman who is chewing my ear off about nursery ideas. Her sons are convinced that it needs to be Doctor Who themed thanks to our son."

"Actually I think that would be thanks to you and Germ-y." Castle defended using his son's way of speaking.

"You're the one who bought him the sonic screwdriver." Beckett reminded turning just to see her son sailing over the couch holding said toy. She cringed when Nate hit the ground with enough force to rattle the lamp on the table. Thankfully he was too wrapped up playing it didn't faze him. "I think it's time to put on a movie to see if we can get them to settle down."

"Movie." Nate hopped up from the floor with an eager expression on his face. "Can we watch Star Wars?"

The twins seemed to agree as they both stopped what they were doing to agree. "Episode Five!" Patrick begged.

His brother had another idea, "Episode three! It has the best light saber battle."

"Not uh!" Patrick shoved Aidan in protest. "Five is better."

"Five is stupid." Aidan retorted pushing back hard enough to send his brother tumbling over a discarded toy.

Patrick's lower lips trembled, "Dad Aidan pushed me!"

"He pushed me first!"

"Boys." Softly apologizing, Ryan left the poker table to break up the fight that was about to break out. Jenny took a hold of the youngest while he picked up Patrick. "What did we tell you about shoving each other?"

"But Dad Aidan said stupid." Patrick argued shoving his blonde hair from his blue eyes. "Stupid is a bad word."

"That didn't mean you can push him." Jenny softly explained awkwardly picking up Aidan due to her swollen stomach. "Now so we need to put you in time out or can you keep your hands to yourselves?"

The twins looked at each other for a moment before nodding.

Smiling at the scene, Castle looked at the young man across the table, "So Jeremy when are you going to marry my daughter and give me grandchildren."

The coke that Jeremy had been drinking came spurting out of his mouth and all over Esposito. Coughing, he waved an apology while trying to gain the ability to speak. "What?"

"Rick." Beckett gave her husband a swift smack on the back of the head. "Leave him alone."

"I umm think I left something." Jeremy pointed absently over his shoulder, "Over there." And just like that he fled the poker table to the safety of the kitchen.

"Rick."

"What." Castle just shrugged and gathered the cards. "They've been dating for a while now."

"And Alexis is still going to college." Beckett explained. "Don't push them into something they're not ready for."

"Okay then." Castle's gazed turned to the other detective at the table. "When are you and Lanie going to add to the chaos?"

The mention of children usually sent Esposito running for the hills. Now it didn't seem like such a scary thought. "I don't know." He raised his beer to his lip, "Maybe someday soon."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Tired, Jeremy escaped the laughter and conversation by slipping up the stairs to the spare bedroom. It was the first time he was alone since the shooting. Thinking about it had him sliding down against the wall with his stomach churning. He could still smell the blood. Still hear the man's voice.

"_Put the gun down!" Jeremy's gun wavered as he took his stand. His suspect held the frantic women in his arms with the barrel of a gun pressed to her temple. His insides were jumping with nerves and his throat tightened. Stay focused. Jeremy chanted in his mind. Remember your training and you can do this. "I said put the gun down and let her go."_

"_Let her go." The Gunman scuffed and tightened his hold. "I do that and you shoot me."_

"_Look she's hurt and needs medical attention." The hostage was barley twenty, her clothes had been torn, and there was blood. Lots of it. Some seeping out from a large gash on her forehead and more staining her pants. Jeremy felt guilty that they had arrived too late to stop her from being violated. It made him think of what could have happened to Alexis all those years ago._

"_Just let me walk away."_

"_You know I can't do that." His arm was burning from the bullet and he was vaguely away of something warm flowing on to his hand. It made it hard to keep a grip on his weapon. His gaze flickered down to see it was blood. Was he shot? Oh god he was! The bastard had shot him. Twice! Don't think about it! Don't think about it! Thinking about the situation at hand, Jeremy looked for an opening. _

_He didn't know how it happened. Maybe the woman saw him searching or the gunman had made a move to shoot again. It just happened so fast. The woman twisted away, the gunman lifted the in his direction, and Jeremy fired two rounds. They impacted the target and sent him sprawling onto the concrete. Working on pure instinct, Jeremy kicked the weapon from the man's hand and dropped to his knees. The bullets had caught him square in the chest. Jeremy froze when the man used the gunman grasped his shirt and he watched helplessly as the light left his eyes._

"Jeremy?" Alexis pushed her way into the darken room in search for her boyfriend.

"Down here." Jeremy waved his hand from the far corner of the room.

"Want the light on?"

"No."

"Okay." Alexis sat down, pulling her knees to her chest, and rested her head on her knees. She wanted to ask what was wrong and why he was hiding in the dark. But she didn't because she didn't want to push.

Jeremy gazed at his hand as if it still was coated in blood. "I did CPR until the paramedics arrived. They had to pull me away from him. I didn't." His throat clogged with emotions and waved it away. He took a life. There was nothing he could do about so there was no point in dwelling. He would just lock it away. "Did I tell you that your parents are amazing?"

Alexis frowned at the change of conversation. "Yeah they're something else." She agreed going with it hoping when he wanted to talk he would turn to her.

"I never told them how grateful I was that they came." Jeremy's mind shifted to his mother causing his heart to ache. Her words had cut deep. He knew that she didn't want him to be a cop, didn't want to go through the pain she went through when his father died. "I'm sorry about what my mom said about you."

"She didn't mean it." Alexis tried to explain. After Sara had given Jeremy a good thrashing she had turned her anger on her. On her family focusing on Beckett. Saying he only became a cop because he had so infatuation with Beckett. That she and her writer brain washed him into becoming a cop. "Give it a couple days."

"Yeah." Jeremy mindlessly fiddled with the strap of his sling.

"Come on let's go home."

After everyone had left, Castle carried his sleeping son up the stairs. Beckett was already inside turning down the bed and switching on the light sabers that hung on the wall that doubled as a night light. Castle carefully laid Nate down and took the sonic screw drive he still held in his small hand. "I told you it was a bad idea to let him start watching that show."

"Bad idea? This coming from the man who tells him stories that gives him nightmares." Beckett tucked the worn dragon under Nate's arms. "He's going to be upset that he didn't get to say goodbye to Alexis and Jeremy."

"He didn't want to wake him." Castle tucked his son in, kissed him good night, and then cracked the door on the way out. "Do you think he's going to be all right?"

"I think Nate will get over it. It's not he doesn't see them every day." Beckett laughed starting down the stairs.

"I mean Jeremy. When he came back down he looked so haunted."

"I don't think what his mother said helped matters. It's going to be hard I mean getting shot is one thing, but taken a life is something else." Beckett knew both from experience. "He is a strong kid."


End file.
